Pricingham One Shots!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

 It's the most wonderful time of the year, with the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you be of good cheer! It's the most wonderful time of the year!

 The music flowed throughout the apartment joyfully, filling each room and hall with the light spirit of the holiday season. It’s strange how just a small bit of music can set the atmosphere, isn’t it?

 Just outside the window, several white flakes of snow blew past, and the sky was dark- a typical snowstorm. Such things were comforting to Arnold, who found himself more content than words can express. You see, Arnold prepared himself all year for this season: the Christmas season! (Which, to him, lasted a total of 2 months: November and December).

 It's the hap-happiest season of all, with those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings when friends come to call! It's the hap-happiest season of all!

 To his boyfriend, Kevin, Christmas only lasted for one day, and he would begin to celebrate a week beforehand. It was not due to any distaste for the holiday on his behalf, he truly did love Christmas even if he did not celebrate it for its religious importance, it was just that it was a bit…much.

 However, living with and loving Arnold, there are a few things that one needs to give up. And, for Kevin, it was the whole month of November as he knew it.

 There'll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting, and caroling out in the snow! There'll be scary ghost stories, and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago!

 So here he was, in the first week of November, hanging up pine tree inspired garland in his kitchen. He was standing on top of a chair, stringing it above the cupboards, covering the trim of the wall. Humming along to the song, he stretched to reach the far wall, too determined to get off and move his chair so that he could actually reach it.

 He heard Arnold singing along with the song in the living room, his boisterous voice growing louder as he ambled into the kitchen with a bounce in his stride. Kevin leaned back, taking in a deep breath as he admired his work, proud with the fact that not a single pine needle was out of place. Arnold walked over to the chair he was standing on, looking up at him with faux strain.

 “How’s the weather up there?” He called playfully. With a chuckle, Kevin gracefully jumped down from the chair and landed directly in front of him, smiling as Arnold wrapped his arms around Kevin’s waist.

 “Snowy.” He replied simply, chuckling once more before he spun out of Arnold’s grasp. “How’s the tree coming along?”

 “Uhm, well, I got the tree up, but I was wondering when you’d be done, so that we could decorate it together?”

 “Well, I have a few more things to get up before I’ll be done with that, but maybe while I do that, you could make some hot cocoa? That sounds fun.” It was then that Kevin paused, just realizing what Arnold was wearing. It was a large, green handknit sweater with reindeer on it. One of the reindeer, which was in the center of the shirt, had an obnoxious red puffball for a nose. “...What are you wearing…?” He asked quietly, pointing at the garment weakly.

 “Oh! It’s a Christmas sweater! Cute right? It’s super comfy! My mom used to make me one every year….” At even just the mention of his parents, Arnold’s bubbly energy died down, and his eyes clouded with sorrow. Blinking his tears away, he regained his voice. “It’s a good thing I haven’t gotten any bigger since last year!” He added with a giggle, trying to lighten the mood back up once more, but his sniffle was noticeable. “Oh! I think I have one that would fit you!”

 Kevin smiled knowingly at him, grateful for the change of topic. “Oh, I think I’m fine, really-” But Arnold had already dashed past him toward the bedroom. He sighed, keeping his smile until Arnold was out of his line of vision. Once he was alone, Kevin quickly wiped his eyes, desperately wanting to forget the falling out that both of them had with their parents.